SALT LAKE CITY -- Non-profit organizations from across the United States and Canada gathered in Salt Lake City Wednesday to make noise for missing and exploited children.
The multinational association AMECO is made up of organizations whose members help missing and exploited children, their families and affected communities.
They were playing drums at the Salt Palace Convention Center to raise awareness. Advocates and searching families gathered to make noise for all missing and exploited children.
"Often when a missing child is affecting the community, the community will come together with the family and missing child advocates and hold a candlelight vigil," said AMECO's executive director Wendy Jolley-Kabi. "And while we certainly respect those moments of silence, we also realize that we need to be making some noise about this issue -- we can't keep silent about protecting our children.
Janis McCall's daughter Stacy went missing 20 years ago. McCall is on the board of directors for AMECO and helps other long-term searching families.
“We celebrate a lot of people coming home and the people who have been saved that have been at such a risk,” said McCall.
AMECO says while it can be extremely frightening when a child goes missing, there are many ways to make noise in the community.
"People can get involved. People can share pictures of children who are missing; people can tell their friends, pass along information on Facebook, follow us on Facebook and post that to their own networks," said Jolley-Kabi. "The more people who are looking for a child and the more people talking, the safer our kids will be."
